MUSSELS WITH LEEKS & SAFFRON

Mussels with leeks & saffron image

Combine mussels with leeks, sherry, white wine, double cream, garlic and parsley to make this Spanish-themed dish. It makes a great starter or light lunch

Provided by Diana Henry

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

3kg mussels
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks , trimmed, cut into rings and washed well
2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
a few parsley sprigs, some thyme and a few bay leaves, tied together to make a bouquet garni
400ml dry sherry
100ml dry white wine
big pinch of saffron
200ml double cream
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley , finely chopped

Steps:

Wash the mussels in a sink of cold water, removing any little beards and scrubbing any barnacles. Tap each one on the side of the sink - if the mussel doesn't close tightly, discard it (also discard any with broken shells). Put the mussels in a colander (in batches) and rinse really well under cold running water.
Heat the oil in a large pan (or two pans if you don't have one big enough to fit all the mussels). Sauté the leeks for 8-10 mins until softening, then add the garlic and cook for another few mins. Add the bouquet garni, pour over the sherry and wine, sprinkle over the saffron and bring to just under the boil. Stir to help the saffron flavour the wine.
Turn the heat down to medium-low, then add the mussels and stir. Cover the pan and allow the mussels to cook until they open (this will take about 4 mins), shaking the pan a few times. Remove the bouquet garni. Add the cream, stir and heat through. Taste for seasoning (mussels are always pretty salty, so you shouldn't need to add anything). Scatter over the parsley, then transfer the mussels to a large, warm serving dish or serve them straight from the pan.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 339 calories, Fat 20 grams fat, SaturatedFat 10 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 2 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 2 grams sugar, Fiber 1 grams fiber, Protein 20 grams protein, Sodium 1.1 milligram of sodium